Simply good.
Pho 88 took me by surprise. I've eaten in quite a few downscale Oriental restaurants, including Vietnamese soup restaurants, and was expecting far less.

Pho 88 is low-key and unassuming, yet very well-executed. The grilled meat, central to their offerings, is tender and well-seasoned (mainly with hoisin and ginger,) whether it is in pho or in dry dishes. The vegetables, including the greens and sprouts offered with some dishes, are fresh and crisp, the tripe (recommended) is tender, the broth well-prepared and simple enough to be seasoned to one's liking at the table, and the proportions just right. Pho 88 originally got only three stars from me only because of the ambiance and that the offerings are a little monotonous; I've upgraded to four due to a few positive changes. The restaurant doesn't do much, but what it does, it does extremely well.

The menu is a bit intimidating; over a hundred dishes are offered, most being variations on the theme of pho. English descriptions are given but aren't detailed enough to help differentiate between offerings. Sometimes they add to the confusion; "tripe and tendon" is frightening to the uninitiated.

However, the service more than makes up for it. The waitresses and the owner are very welcoming. Questions about the food are readily answered. Pho 88 was the first Vietnamese restaurant my father ate at, and he was very pleased by the experience. The owner (seeing both of us doing things backwards) came to our table and explained everything: what sauces are for which items, what gets mixed and what stays separate, etc. Other Vietnamese restaurants I have eaten at were content to let me (attempt to) figure things out on my own.

The wide-open setup of the dining room (everybody is in a line-of-sight of everybody else) is a bit unnerving, but it has its advantage; the owner and the waitstaff, always attentive, can see everybody readily. Interestingly, a change in paint color--to a mellow purple, and upgrades to the decor have made Pho 88 feel cozier and more welcoming; it's strange how a simple change makes so much difference.

The broken-rice dishes, including the coconut beef, are quite good, but I would recommend having what the restaurant is named after, the simple and extraordinarily well-executed pho, washed down with either a creamy Thai iced tea or the house special, cold-brewed iced jasmine tea.    [02 Oct 2003 06:38:21]

Food:    Service:    Ambiance:    Overall: 
Recommended Dishes: Pho with grilled flank, rare steak, and tripe; Thai iced tea, any grilled beef dish

     ­Ben Kalafut, U of A Grad Student   bkalafut at email dot arizona dot edu